Board Of Trustees Elects New Leadership, Approves Tuition Increase

Penn State’s Board of Trustees met Thursday and Friday at Penn State Harrisburg for its bi-monthly meeting and annual summer commonwealth campus visit, also welcoming new trustees — including student-selected trustee Mike Hoeschele — who were elected and appointed to serve beginning July 1.

The Board began by electing internal leadership for the 2017-2018 year: Chair Mark Dambly and Vice Chair Matt Schuyler. Schuyler ran unopposed, while Dambly defeated Trustee Bob Capretto with a vote of 21-12.

In standing committee reports, the Board approved all recommendations from yesterday’s committee meetings. Here are some highlights:

Tuition Hike

Remember last month when Pennsylvania Auditor General Eugene DePasquale said Penn State tuition growth is outrageous? Nonetheless, the Board approved Penn State’s 2017-2018 budget, including a 2.74 percent tuition rate increase for in-state students at University Park and varying levels of tuition increase for other Penn State students across the Commonwealth. By the way, state legislature still hasn’t passed its own budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which includes state appropriations for the university. Read more on the approved budget, tuition, and fees.

New Deans

The Board of Trustees approved Dr. Justin Schwartz as Dean of the College of Engineering (effective August 15) and Dr. Lee Kump as Dean of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (effective immediately).

LAX Bro Renovations

Penn State could break ground as soon as this year on new Panzer Stadium for Penn State’s varsity lacrosse programs. Read more on the upcoming renovations.

Penn State Worthington Scranton

“Penn State Scranton” does have a nice ring to it, but is it worth it to shorten the name at the expense of historical value? The Board thinks so. The campus will drop its “Worthington” moniker effective May 1, 2018. Committee representatives say the Worthngton Scranton family was consulted and is on board with the name change. Read more on the name change.

You can read the full agenda of consent items approved on the Board of Trustees website here.

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Elissa is a junior public relations major and the managing editor of Onward State. She is from Punxsutawney, PA [insert corny Bill Murray joke here] and considers herself an expert on all things ice cream. Send questions and comments via e-mail ([email protected]) and follow her on Twitter (@ElissaKHill) for more corny jokes.